All Time Low
All Time Low |
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All Time Low is an American pop-punk band from Lutherville-Timonium, Maryland and is listed in Alternative Press magazine's annual survey as one of the "Bands You Need to Know in '07".
History
All Time Low's beginning dates back to when the members were in their freshman year at Dulaney High School. It began when Jack Barakat and Marc Shilling met in class and realized they both shared an appreciation for pop music. Jack played guitar and Marc was a bassist/singer so they decided to throw a band together for fun. Jack knew a drummer from middle school, Yanni Giannaros (now of Baltimore band Four Fifty One), who would join them. These three met on weekends and jammed, mostly playing Blink 182 cover songs. It was around this time that Alex Gaskarth decided to leave his previous band, Fire In The Hole. Jack managed to convince Alex to come play guitar and sing with the band. Now a foursome, the band decided on the name NeverReck, and began to compose their own songs. The first member change came when the band met Rian Dawson. His exceptional drumming skills coupled with his love for pop music were the main factors for Giannaros' replacement. After a few months of practicing, writing, and recording their own songs and covers, Jack, Rian, and Alex decided to remove Marc from the band because he could not practice as often as they wanted among other things. They now needed more members. They settled on two members of the band The Coincidentals who were at the time breaking up. These members included TJ Ihle on guitar and Chris Cortillio on bass. At this point they decided to change the band name to All Time Low. Ihle and Cortillio were in the band for two months before they decided to quit and reform their previous band.
After this the band took a small hiatus looking for a bassist. They eventually stumbled upon Towson High School student Zack Merrick. They began playing shows and making a name for themselves. Soon after they signed to acclaimed local label Emerald Moon Records. Their first four track EP, The Three Words to Remember in Dealing with the End, appeared on Emerald Moon Records, a regional record label. In July 2005, the band released their first full length The Party Scene.
In 2006, just months before Alex Gaskarth, Jack Barakat, and Rian Dawson graduated from Dulaney High School and Zack Merrick graduated from Towson High School, All Time Low signed with Hopeless Records. Several months later the band released a new EP entitled Put Up or Shut Up on Hopeless Records, containing newly recorded versions of songs from The Party Scene along with two new tracks. At recent concerts, All Time Low has been playing three new tracks, "Dear Maria, Count Me In", "Let It Roll" and an acoustic song, "Remembering Sunday". All Time Low appeared on the compilation albums 'A Tribute to Blink 182' and Punk Goes Acoustic 2 with a cover of the Blink 182 song 'Time to Break up' and an acoustic version of their song "Jasey Rae" respectively.
The band began recording "So Wrong, It's Right" on April 18 2007 with Matt Squire and released the album on September 25, 2007.
The Baltimore Sun described a recent All Time Low concert at the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's Field House:
"Bathed in red light, the band members vault onto stage, shaggy hair flying. For a moment, they jump up and down, like exuberant kids on a bed, then wheel away... guitarist Jack Barakat, 18, jack-knifes across the stage, fingers flying across his electric guitar...After the performance, a mob of girls buzzes around each band member, seeking autographs and photos. Zack Merrick, his hair sparkling with sweat, gamely wraps his arm around one girl after another and grins at the cameras".[1]
At concerts, singer Alex Gaskarth often incorporates the chorus of the Destiny's Child song Bootylicious into their own, "Running From Lions". In this video of their concert at UMBC on April 20, 2007 playing with The All-American Rejects, the chorus begins at 1:45[1]. This video of "Running From Lions" was filmed on September 26, 2006, and the chorus begins at 2:22 [2].
Bassist Zack Merrick appeared in an episode of MTV's Exposed, which first aired on August 17, 2007.
All Time Low won four of the Warped Tour: Energizer Encore Contests in which the bands get ten extra minutes of playing time. The cities where the band won the contest in are: Washington, DC; Boston MA; Barrie, ON and; Sacramento, CA.
Members
- Alexander William Gaskarth - vocals, guitar
- Jack Bassam Barakat - guitar, backing vocals
- Robert Rian Dawson - Drums
- Zachary Steven Merrick - bass, backing vocals
Discography
Albums
| Date of Release | Title | Label(s) | US Billboard Peak | US Independent Album | US Alternative Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| July 19, 2005 | The Party Scene | Emerald Moon Records | - | - | - |
| September 25, 2007 | So Wrong, It's Right | Hopeless Records | #62 | #6 | #12 |
EPs
| Date of Release | Title | Label(s) | US Billboard Peak | US Independent Album | US Alternative Album |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| October 1, 2004 | The Three Words To Remember In Dealing With The End | Emerald Moon Records | - | - | - |
| July 25, 2006 | Put Up Or Shut Up | Hopeless Records | - | #20 | - |
Singles
Compilations
- Hopelessly Devoted To You Vol. 6 - Contributed "Break Out! Break Out!"
- First Taste Of The Morning - Contributed "The Party Scene"
- Who Said All Punk Sounds The Same? Vol. 3 - Contributed "Coffee Shop Soundtrack"
- Punk Goes Acoustic 2 - Contributed an Acoustic version of "Jasey Rae"
- Take Action! Vol. 6 - Contributed "Coffee Shop Soundtrack"
- From The Land of Pleasant Living - Contributed "Last Flight Home"
- 2006 Warped Tour Compilation - Contributed "Coffee Shop Soundtrack"
- Another Hopeless Summer - Contributed "Dear Maria, Count Me In" and "Break Out! Break Out!" (Acoustic)
- A Tribute to blink-182: Pacific Ridge Records Heroes of Pop - Contributed "Time To Break Up"